Cornell President Speaks Out About Alleged Chi Phi Frat House Gang Rape

Cornell University's president delivered a message to students in the wake of accusations that 7 Chi Phi frat brothers allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted a woman ... and personally addressed Jane Doe's account.

In an 8-minute video shared to the university statements' page ... Michael Kotlikoff admitted that this had been "one of the most difficult weeks in our history."

Kotlikoff added ... "What happened to Jane Doe in 2024 is deeply disturbing and will weigh heavily on our community for years to come. My heart aches when I think of what she experienced."

While the university president said he supported New York Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to appoint a special prosecutor -- Attorney General Letitia James -- to oversee both the criminal case and an independent review of the university's response ... Kotlikoff said that the university's job wasn't over.

He said ... "We will not wait for the investigation or the review to be completed before we act."

Applauding the sexual assault task force's efforts to bring "substantial changes in education, prevention, and support" ... Kotlikoff stressed that students "have my commitment that this will not be a moment that passes."

He added ... "We are listening, we are learning, we are committed to communicating more openly, and where we can do better, we will."

We reported earlier ... there's been a lot of finger pointing in the wake of the initial investigation.

First, Tompkins County D.A. Matthew Van Houten claimed that university police only gave him Jane Doe's sworn statement and a screengrab of the Snapchat messages ... then the university police responded saying that Van Houten's office declined receiving additional evidence.